


Mercy

by shorelines



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous Character Death, Gen, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 09:06:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5158088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shorelines/pseuds/shorelines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sans knows Frisk goes to visit Flowey every year, but this time, they came back different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mercy

Sans couldn't remember when Frisk stopped smiling. It wasn't all at once. Frisk had laughed at a terrible joke he had made yesterday, and during Undyne's driving lesson with Papyrus. But now that he thought about it, something was… _off_.

Frisk's laugh didn't meet their eyes anymore. For the past few weeks, Frisk had a tense look about them, which Sans had last seen in a golden hallway years ago. Frisk was afraid of something that was going to happen, something that they were going to confront.

Steadily walking towards Toriel's house, Sans willed himself not to panic. The last reset had been years ago, and in that time, Frisk had grown into their position as ambassador between monsters and humans. They were doing well in school, they had so many friends, and they made everyone smile.

Life on the surface wasn't perfect, but on some days, even Sans forgot that this could all go away.

He found himself staring at Toriel's door when he remembered she wasn't home. Something was happening at her school — exams? A dance she had to chaperone? Parent-teacher conf —

"Sans?"

He looked up, and there was Frisk — sitting on the roof. Sans coughed. "Uh, hey kiddo. How'd you get up there?"

"My room's balcony," Frisk said, shrugging. "Come up."

"Uh, sure, let me just —" Sans fished for his keys, but stopped when Frisk let out a heavy sigh.

"Just — just teleport up here, or whatever it is you do."

"R-right." Sans closed his eyes, just briefly, and when he opened them he was on the roof next to Frisk. Up here, the air was a bit colder, or maybe it was just the view. Over the rows of small trees and houses stood Mount Ebott, black against the darkening sky. "So… why are you on the roof?"

"I was looking for a change in perspective," said Frisk. Now that he was closer, Sans could see the bags under Frisk's eyes. What else hadn't he noticed? "I'm not going to fall."

"Heh. You've probably had enough of that in your lifetime," said Sans, nodding towards Mount Ebott. Beside him, Frisk stiffened. "H-hey, what's wrong, Frisk?"

"It's nothing."

"Come on. That's the best excuse you can think of?" Sans looked towards the mountain again. "Is it something to do with that?"

"Sans, do you remember what day it is?"

"Oh. It's the anniversary."

Frisk nodded, and pulled their knees to their chest. "And every year —"

"You visit Flowey," Sans finished. Frisk's eyes were fixed on the horizon. "I remember. You used to take one of us with you, when you were younger."

Suddenly, Frisk turned to Sans. "Do you remember how early I came back, the first year I went alone?"

Startled, Sans nodded. "We joked that you were scared. What happened, Frisk?"

"I was scared," Frisk whispered. "Without anyone else there, Flowey… changed."

"What?!" Sans put a hand on Frisk's shoulder, turning to look at them. "Did he hurt you? What did he do?" Frisk was looking back at him with wide eyes. Sans noticed that Frisk wasn't completely making eye contact with him, but looking ever so slightly to his left, and a blue, pulsating glow was washing over their face. Sans leaned back, and blinked once. The light went out. "Sorry."

"It was nothing like that," Frisk said, casting one last glance to his left. Sans cursed at himself. "But while Flowey was condescending and mean when I was with someone, he completely changed when we were alone."

"He got nicer?" Sans asked, hopefully.

"No." Frisk shifted a bit. "Sans, Flowey… he asked me to kill him."

Sans stilled. "Frisk —"

"I ran, that first year," Frisk said, shaking their head. "But the next year, I stayed, and I listened. Flowey begged me. Told me to get a real knife and cut him down, or bring a match and burn him."

"But… why?"

"He said he couldn't stand it anymore," Frisk said, hugging their knees tighter. "Flowey remembered being Asriel, remembered feeling and being whole. In this form, he's empty and soulless. All he can feel is hate, and he'd rather die."

Sans cast a glance towards Mount Ebott, as if he could glean anything from that looming silhouette, but Frisk continued.

"He was even more convincing last year, Sans." Frisk smiled sadly. "Flowey reminded me that if I ever died, he would be back in control to reset the timeline."

Sans could feel the sweat pooling at his forehead clearly in the brisk wind. As if they knew, Frisk took his hand, and stopped the shaking there. "He won't, I know it. That threat was empty. But it was still enough for me to bring a match today."

"What?"

"Do you know what he said to me this year, Sans?" Frisk tightened their hold on his hand, almost painfully. "He asked me for MERCY. He said he didn't want to fight anymore, please, Frisk, would you use some MERCY? Sans — he — he begged me to — to —"

Tears were rolling down their face, and Sans wrapped Frisk in a hug. Frisk buried their face in his sweater, shoulders quaking. "Oh kiddo…."

"I didn't know what to do… I didn't…."

"I know, kiddo. I know."

* * *

It could have been minutes or hours, but the two of them were still huddled together, Frisk's head on Sans' shoulder.

"Don't you want to know… what I've done?"

Sans shook his head. "You don't have to tell me. Just know that I'll always be there for you."

Frisk gave a hoarse laugh, and sniffed. "Are you sure about that, lazy bones?"

"I mean it."

"I know." Frisk paused, and closed their eyes. "Thank you."

They stayed there until the night had settled in. Out on the horizon, Sans couldn't see the smoke if he tried.


End file.
